Game Theory

Unit 1 – Game Theory: Strategic Decision-Making

Unit 2 – Utility Theory and Preferences

Unit 3 – Simultaneous Move Games and Nash Equilibrium

Unit 4 – Nash Equilibrium in Economics and Politics

Unit 5 – Mixed Strategies and Randomization

Unit 6 – Sequential Games and Backward Induction

Unit 7 – Repeated Games and Cooperation

Unit 8 – Imperfect and Incomplete Information Games

Unit 9 – Bargaining Theory and Negotiation

Unit 10 – Auction Theory and Mechanism Design

Unit 11 – Evolutionary Games & Population Dynamics

Unit 12 – Behavioral Game Theory: Bounded Rationality

Unit 13 – Statistical Methods in Game Theory Analysis

Unit 14 – Advanced Game Theory: Frontiers and Topics

## What do you learn in Game Theory

Game Theory explores strategic decision-making in competitive situations. You'll study how individuals and groups make choices when their outcomes depend on others' actions. The course covers concepts like Nash equilibrium, dominant strategies, and mixed strategies. You'll analyze classic games like the Prisoner's Dilemma and apply game theory to real-world scenarios in economics, politics, and social interactions.

## Is Game Theory hard?

Game Theory can be challenging, especially if you're not used to thinking strategically. The math isn't too intense, but the concepts can be mind-bending at first. Once you get the hang of it, though, it's pretty cool. The hardest part is often wrapping your head around how to apply the theories to real-life situations. But don't worry, it's totally doable with some practice.

## Tips for taking Game Theory in college

1. Start with [Fiveable Study Guides](https://fiveable.me/cram-mode) to help you cram 🌶️
2. Practice, practice, practice solving game matrices
3. Watch "A Beautiful Mind" for inspiration (it's about John Nash)
4. Form a study group to discuss and debate strategies
5. Apply concepts to everyday situations (like negotiating with roommates)
6. Use online resources like Game Theory 101 videos
7. Don't just memorize, try to understand the underlying logic
8. Keep up with current events for real-world applications

## Common pre-requisites for Game Theory

1. Probability Theory: This course covers the fundamentals of probability, including random variables, distributions, and expected values. It's crucial for understanding the probabilistic aspects of game theory.

2. Microeconomics: In this class, you'll learn about individual decision-making and market interactions. It provides a solid foundation for understanding the economic principles that underlie game theory.

## Classes similar to Game Theory

1. Decision Theory: Focuses on how individuals make choices under uncertainty. You'll learn about utility theory and decision trees.

2. Behavioral Economics: Combines psychology and economics to study how people actually make decisions. It often challenges assumptions made in traditional game theory.

3. Operations Research: Applies mathematical modeling to solve complex problems in business and management. You'll use some game theory concepts here too.

4. Negotiation Strategies: Explores the art and science of negotiation. It often incorporates game theory principles to analyze and improve negotiation tactics.

## Majors related to Game Theory

1. Economics: Studies how societies allocate scarce resources. Game theory is a crucial tool in analyzing strategic interactions in markets and policy-making.

2. Political Science: Examines political systems, behavior, and policies. Game theory helps in understanding political strategies, voting behavior, and international relations.

3. Business Administration: Prepares students for leadership roles in organizations. Game theory is useful in understanding competitive strategies and decision-making in business contexts.

4. Mathematics: Focuses on abstract reasoning and problem-solving. Game theory provides a practical application of mathematical concepts to real-world strategic situations.

## What can you do with a degree in Game Theory?

1. Economic Analyst: Applies economic theories, including game theory, to analyze market trends and make predictions. They often work for government agencies, banks, or consulting firms.

2. Strategy Consultant: Advises businesses on competitive strategies using game theory principles. They help companies make better decisions in complex market environments.

3. Policy Advisor: Uses game theory to analyze and develop public policies. They might work for government agencies or think tanks to tackle issues like climate change or international trade.

4. Data Scientist: Applies mathematical and statistical techniques, including game theory models, to analyze complex data sets. They work in various industries to extract insights and inform decision-making.

## Game Theory FAQs

1. Can Game Theory predict real-world outcomes? While it can provide insights, real-world situations are often more complex than theoretical models. Game theory is a tool for understanding strategic interactions, not a crystal ball.

2. Is Game Theory only used in economics? No, it's used in various fields including political science, biology, and computer science. Game theory has applications wherever there are strategic interactions.

3. Do I need to be good at math to study Game Theory? Some math skills are helpful, but you don't need to be a math whiz. The focus is more on logical reasoning and strategic thinking.

4. How is Game Theory different from Decision Theory? Game Theory focuses on interactions between multiple decision-makers, while Decision Theory typically deals with individual decision-making under uncertainty. Game Theory considers how others' choices affect your outcomes.

Statistics

1.2 Key concepts and terminology in game theory

1.3 Strategic decision-making and rational choice

1.1 Foundations and historical development of game theory

1.4 Applications and real-world examples of game theory

2.2 Risk attitudes and expected utility theory

2.3 Decision-making under uncertainty

2.1 Utility functions and preference relations

3.1 Normal form games and payoff matrices

3.2 Dominant and dominated strategies

3.3 Nash equilibrium concept and computation

3.4 Multiple equilibria and equilibrium selection

4.3 Biological applications: evolutionary stable strategies

4.2 Political applications: voting systems and coalition formation

4.1 Economic applications: oligopoly and market competition

5.1 Pure vs. mixed strategies

5.3 Applications of mixed strategies in various domains

5.2 Calculating mixed strategy Nash equilibria

6.2 Subgame perfect equilibrium

6.1 Extensive form games and game trees

6.3 Backward induction and strategic reasoning

7.2 Folk theorems and equilibrium analysis

7.1 Finitely and infinitely repeated games

7.3 Strategies for promoting cooperation (e.g., tit-for-tat)

8.2 Signaling games and information revelation

8.1 Bayesian games and incomplete information

8.3 Perfect Bayesian equilibrium

9.1 Cooperative and non-cooperative bargaining models

9.3 Strategic bargaining and the Rubinstein model

9.2 Nash bargaining solution

10.4 Mechanism design for resource allocation

10.1 Types of auctions and their properties

10.3 Optimal auction design and the revelation principle

10.2 Revenue equivalence theorem

11.1 Evolutionary stable strategies (ESS)

11.3 Applications in biology and social sciences

11.2 Replicator dynamics and population games

12.1 Cognitive limitations and decision-making biases

12.2 Experimental game theory and empirical findings

12.3 Models of bounded rationality and learning in games

13.2 Experimental design and data collection in game theory

13.3 Machine learning approaches to game-theoretic problems

13.1 Econometric methods for analyzing strategic interactions

14.2 Network games and social network analysis

14.1 Algorithmic game theory and computational complexity

14.3 Quantum game theory

14.4 Applications in artificial intelligence and multi-agent systems

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